Health Videos

Discharge Instructions for Hip Fracture Surgery

You had surgery to repair a hip fracture. The type of surgery you had depends on the location and severity of the fracture. You may have pins, screws, or rods (internal fixation devices) holding the fractured bone in place. Or some or all of your hip may have been replaced. You must take care of your hip as you recover at home or in a rehabilitation facility. This means moving and sitting the way you were taught in the hospital. You must also see your healthcare provider for follow-up visits as you slowly return to activity. Hip repair for fracture or hip replacement is major surgery. So don’t be surprised if it takes a few months before you can move comfortably. Plan to have your family and friends help when you return home.

Home care

Take your pain medicine exactly as directed.

Don’t drive until your healthcare provider says it’s OK. And never drive if you are taking opioid pain medicine.

Wear the support stockings you were given in the hospital. Wear them 24 hours a day for 3 to 4 week(s).

Make arrangements to have your staples removed around 2 weeks after surgery. The staples were used to close the skin incision.

Get up and carefully move around to ease pain.

If you got an artificial hip joint, tell all your healthcare providers—including your dentist—about the joint before any procedure. You may need to take antibiotics before dental work and other medical procedures to reduce the risk for infection.

Incision care

Prevent infection by washing your hands often. If an infection occurs, it will likely need to be treated with antibiotics right away. Call your healthcare provider right away if you think you may have an infection. Symptoms of infection include a fever, chills, redness, warmth, or leakage of white, greenish, or yellowish-colored fluid from the incision.

Wait 7 days after your surgery to begin showering. Then shower as needed. Carefully wash your incision with soap and water. Gently pat it dry. Don’t rub the incision, or apply creams or lotions. And sit on a shower stool when you shower to keep from falling.

Sitting and sleeping

Don’t sit for more than 30 to 45 minutes at a time.

Use chairs with arms, and sit with your knees slightly lower than your hips. Don’t sit on low or sagging chairs or couches.